"No ban on Maggi," says Nestlé India on Facebook page

The instant noodle brand has taken to social media to clarify its stand and maintain that it is not being banned, and is safe to consume.

Trouble erupted for the much-loved noodle brand Maggi in India, when a Times of India report published on May 16 stated that Maggi samples collected in some parts of Uttar Pradesh were found to be containing added monosodium glutamate (MSG) and lead in excess of the permissible limit.

Authorities swung into action and the Lucknow Food Safety and Drug Administration has initiated an inquiry and written to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in New Delhi, seeking to cancel the license for the noodle brand. The regulator has also asked FSSAI to order sampling of the product from across the country to check quality.

Meanwhile, as the news broke, social media launched into accusation mode, attacking Nestlé India for not conforming to regulatory framework, considering it is a brand which is widely consumed across age groups, especially popular among children.

The brand, initially, responded to tweets, but later restrained when things went out of control.

On May 19, Maggi posted an official message on its Facebook page - "We do not add MSG to Maggi Noodles and our label declarations are as per local regulation. We use raw materials in Maggi Noodles which can contain naturally-occurring Glutamate. It is important to note that many agricultural commodities like Onion, Peas, Tomatoes, etc. contain glutamate. This could be confused with commercially added MSG. Glutamate is safe to consume."

Read the full message here.

As the news of a probable ban on the product is doing the rounds, Maggi packs are being recalled from the markets. The company took to Facebook assuring its Maggi fans that the brand is going nowhere, in a post published on May 21.

"There have been conversations on social media regarding the recall of your favourite Maggi Noodles. We fully understand your concerns and would want to assure you that Maggi is neither banned nor is there any order to recall the product being sold in the market," the post reads.

Read the full statement from the company here.

Launched in 1982 in India, Maggi enjoyed the leadership position in the instant noodle market in India for decades. The only competition Maggi had then was from Japan-based Nissin Group's Top Ramen, and the Nepal-based CG Foods' Wai-Wai Noodles. However, recently, it has been facing competition from new entrants like Hindustan Unilever's Knorr and ITC's Yippie, who are looking to take a significant share in the Rs. 2,200-crore instant noodles market.

From the "two-minute" promise to 'MeriMaggi', the noodle brand's advertising has always been endearing. It also entered the breakfast space with Maggi Oats Noodles. The brand is endorsed by Bollywood actors Amitabh Bachchan and Madhuri Dixit.